Innovative energy storage solutions will play an important role in ensuring the integration of renewable energy sources into the grid in the EU at the lowest cost, according to a new study published by the European Commission. This will help the EU to reach its 2050 decarbonisation objectives under the European Green Deal while ensuring Europe’s security of energy supply.

Funded by the Commission, this independent study, entitled “Energy Storage Study - Contribution to the security of electricity supply in Europe”, analyses the different flexibility energy storage options that will be needed to reap the full potential of the large share of variable energy sources in the power system. It provides a picture of the European energy storage environment, in terms of existing facilities and regulatory frameworks, best practices and barriers.

Amongst other findings, it shows how the main energy storage reservoir in the EU at the moment is pumped hydro storage. However, as prices fall, new battery technology projects are emerging - such as lithium-ion batteries and behind-the-meter storage. In addition, the research explores deployment potentials and actual needs for energy storage looking forward towards 2030 and 2050. For example, there is a lot of work looking at batteries and electrolysers and how these key technologies can provide flexibility to the energy system

Having identified different barriers to the development of energy storage that exist at national and EU level, the study makes several recommendations to reduce these obstacles and accelerate deployment. For example, the need for standardisation on safety issues and EV interoperability, and issues of permitting, double grid tariffs and taxes, price signals and access to ancillary services markets. Similarly, it underlines the importance of reliable and regular data. In order to address these issues, it calls for a comprehensive update of the regulatory framework to speed up the market penetration of storage technologies.